


Where You Are

by Doorhandletable



Category: Naruto
Genre: F/M, Modern AU, Modern Era, Modern day Japan, One Night Stands, Single Parents
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-07-05
Updated: 2020-07-05
Packaged: 2021-03-04 19:01:54
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,448
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25081312
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Doorhandletable/pseuds/Doorhandletable
Summary: Twelve years after a one night stand on a trip to Tokyo, Sakura Haruno is raising her daughter on her own.After spending the last fifteen years traveling the world, Sasuke Uchiha settles down in a small city in southern Japan to become a middle school English teacher.
Relationships: Haruno Sakura/Uchiha Sasuke
Comments: 7
Kudos: 72





	Where You Are

**Author's Note:**

> This is my personal SasuSaku month project. I definitely won't get it all done in July, but I'll try to do as much as I can.

“Hey, forehead! Sakura! Wake up!”

Sakura felt someone shake her foot. She cracked open an eye and saw Ino peering in through the curtain of her capsule.

“What is it?” Sakura murmured sleepily. 

“I have to go now,” Ino told her. 

Sakura reached over for her phone and flipped it open. 

5:31.

“You woke me up just to tell me that?” she groaned, throwing her phone to the side. She lay back down and closed her eyes again.

“The convention ends at six,” she heard Ino’s voice say. “I’ll meet you at the bar across the street at seven for drinks.”

“Sure, sure,” Sakura murmured, rolling over to press her face against her pillow. 

Sakura lay there for what felt like hours, trying to get back to sleep. Finally, she reached for her phone and checked the time again. Only ten minutes had passed. Damn Ino. She loved her best friend more than anyone else in the world, but she could be a real nuisance sometimes. 

Knowing that she was never going to get back to sleep at this rate, Sakura climbed out of her capsule(not an easy task first thing in the morning, especially as the capsules were located almost a metre off the ground). She slowly lifted the rollaway door to the small storage locker under her capsule, careful not to wake the guests who had been fortunate enough to not be woken by their best friend at five thirty in the morning. 

She pulled a pair of shorts, a cute red short sleeved top, some underwear, and her sandals from her suitcase and made her way to the bathroom. She brushed her teeth, showered, dressed, dried and straightened her hair. No need for make up today. She was on vacation! 

She went back to her capsule, tossed her hotel-issued pyjamas back onto the bed, grabbed her key card, phone, and bag from her locker and took the elevator down to the lobby. She forked over seven hundred yen for breakfast and went into the lounge area. 

The long tables in the middle of the lounge had been piled with food. A typical western-style continental breakfast. Tureens of scrambled eggs, baskets of pastries, toast, cereal, a coffee machine. 

A group of loud American tourists sat around the long table by the window. Exhausted-looking business people were scattered around the room, some typing away on their laptop and some staring blankly at the morning news show on tv as they quickly shoveled cereal into their mouths. Espresso Coffee was sitting in his usual spot in the corner.

‘Espresso Coffee’ was the nickname she and Ino had given to another guest at the hotel. He was tall, lean, incredibly handsome, and was never seen without a cup of espresso coffee.

They had first seen him a few days previously, sitting in his usual spot in the lounge as they were checking in at the front desk. 

“Did you see that guy?” Ino had mouthed as soon as they got into the elevator, all but fanning herself. 

“Ino, you’re getting married in two weeks,” Sakura had pointed out, raising an eyebrow. 

However, she had to agree. Espresso Coffee was possibly the most attractive man Sakura had ever laid eyes on. They had seen him every morning since they had arrived. Sakura and Ino always liked to sit at the same table at breakfast each morning. It was a perfect spot to view the human masterpiece that was Espresso Coffee. 

When they were alone, they speculated on his backstory. Just a passing stranger? Model? On the run from the law? Secret agent? The speculation got more and more outlandish each day. 

Sakura loaded up her plate with scrambled eggs and pastries and sat down at a seat not far from Espresso Coffee. Her and Ino’s usual table was taken by a businessman reading a newspaper. At least if she was close to him, she could sneak a covert glance every now and then. 

As she stuffed a pastry into her mouth, she took the map of Tokyo Disneyland out of her bag and inspected it. She would start with _It’s A Small World_ , as she usually did, then the _Haunted Mansion_ , and then-

“Disneyland, huh?”

Sakura looked up and saw Espresso Coffee looking over at her. He was eyeing the map with a smirk on his face. She felt her face go hot. 

“I always go when I come to Tokyo,” she said defensively, stuffing the map into her bag and imagining the sad look on Ino’s face when she told her that Espresso Coffee had been a jerk all along. 

“I haven’t been since I was a kid,” Espresso Coffee mused. 

Sakura’s defenses lowered. Perhaps Espresso Coffee was just trying to make conversation after all. 

“You should go again sometime,” she said. “It’s a lot of fun.”

“Are you going alone?” Espresso Coffee asked. “Where’s your friend?”

“I wanted to go with her yesterday, but she wanted to go shopping in Shibuya instead.”

“But she can’t go with you today?”

“She has to go to some flower show. Her family runs a big floristry business in our town and her dad is making her go.”

Espresso Coffee took a long sip out of his cup and considered this. 

“So it’s a business trip for her and you tagged along for the ride?” he asked, smirking again. 

“She’s getting married in a few weeks so she decided to combine the pre-wedding girls weekend trip we had planned with the convention,” Sakura said. Okay, maybe he was a bit of a jerk.

Espresso Coffee took another drink, pointed to the map of Disneyland, and said, “I will go with you.”

“Ah,” Sakura said. “You don’t have to, I’ll be fine.”

“You just told me I should go to Disneyland again. Why not today?” Espresso Coffee pointed out. He raised an eyebrow. “Besides, a grown woman going to a children’s amusement park on her own. That’s a little strange, don’t you think?”

Sakura opened her mouth to say she was perfectly capable of going to Disneyland on her own, and that Disneyland wasn’t just for kids and adults went by themselves all the time. 

But then she considered his offer. 

An incredibly handsome stranger offering to spend the day at the happiest place on Earth with her? Ino would kill her if she found out Sakura had turned him down. And the last thing she wanted to do was disappoint her best friend on the eve of her wedding. She was going to do this for Ino, she told herself. 

“Let’s go then.”

Sakura quickly stuffed the remains of her pastry into her mouth and stood up. 

“What’s your name, by the way?” she asked. “I’m Sakura Haruno.”

Espresso Coffee seemed to consider her for a few moments, as though he was reluctant to tell her his name. 

“Sasuke,” he said finally. 

* * *

The subway station was just a few buildings down from their hotel. They bought tickets and stepped onto the crowded carriage, which was packed full of the commuters. It was peak hour and everyone was on their way out. She found herself pressed up against Sasuke. She was glad she was facing away from her so he couldn’t see her face, which she was sure had gone bright red.

It took them three trains to get from their hotel in Kuramae to Tokyo Disneyland, each of them packed. On the second train, Sakura and Sasuke were separated in the crowd of commuters and Sakura ended up wedged between several harried-looking men in dark business suits. By the time they had boarded the third train, peak hour had mostly subsided and they found seats next to each other. Sakura opened her mouth several times, intending to say something to Sasuke, but failed to think of an appropriate conversation subject. 

Instead, she focused her attention on an adorable family of three. A mother, a father, and their daughter, who looked to be around three or four. They were each wearing a pair of Mickey Mouse ears. The daughter was sitting on her father’s lap, giggling as he talked to her. The mother was watching them proudly. 

Sakura smiled. This was exactly the type of family she had always dreamed of having. One day, she promised herself. She was only twenty-one. She had to get her residency and find a husband first. 

* * *

It wasn’t until after they had bought their tickets and were standing in-line to enter the park that Sasuke and Sakura finally had a conversation together.

“So where are you from?” Sasuke asked.

“Konoha,” Sakura answered. Seeing his blank expression, she quickly clarified, “it’s in Hinokuni prefecture.”

“You said you were on summer break,” he said. “Are you a student?”

“I am,” Sakura said, impressed that he had remembered that little detail.

“What are you studying?” he asked. 

“Medicine,” Sakura answered. “I’m going to be a doctor, can you believe it? Dr. Sakura Haruno.”

She knew she shouldn’t brag like that, but damn she just loved the way her name sounded with the word ‘doctor’ attached to it. Dr. Sakura Haruno. Dr. Haruno. Sakura Haruno MD. Every single version of the name made her giddy. She had worked all her life to and she was almost there. Nothing could stand in her way now.

“Medicine, huh?” Sasuke sounded impressed. “What field?”

“Cardiology,” she answered. She pulled the map out of her bag and inspected it. “Where do you want to go first? I know it’s tame, but I always started off with It’s A Small World. Is that okay with you?”

“That’s fine.”

* * *

“So where are you from?” Sakura asked as they stood in line for the _Haunted Mansion_ an hour later. 

“I’m from here,” Sasuke said simply. 

“You’re from Tokyo?” Sakura asked. 

“Disneyland,” he said with a sarcastic smirk. 

“You grew up here?” she asked.

“Yes.”

“But you don’t live here now? Otherwise, you wouldn’t be staying in a hotel.”

“I’ve been out of the country for the past few years,” Sasuke told her. “I just came back to meet with my attorney.”

This piqued Sakura’s interest. 

“Where have you been?” she asked.

“All around. China, America, Europe.”

“What’s your favorite place you’ve been?”

“I don’t think I have one.”

* * *

While Sasuke wasn’t a particularly great conversationalist, Sakura found him to be surprisingly easy to open up to. She found herself telling him about her childhood, her hometown, Ino, her parents. He had a comforting quality to him. She felt safe with him and it really felt like he was listening attentively when she spoke.

It was a warm July day so the park was crowded and waiting times were long, leaving them a lot of time to talk. They went on a lot of rides(Sakura was impressed that Sasuke somehow managed to stay stoic even on the roller coasters). They ate lunch together(Sakura was not surprised to see Sasuke order an espresso coffee to go along with his meal). Sakura had even managed to persuade him to take a photo with Belle and the Beast. Sakura bought Ino a cute necklace with a pendant in the shape of Ariel’s tail. 

As they were standing in line for Space Mountain shortly after nightfall, Sakura heard her phone buzz in her bag. She pulled it out and flipped it open. There was a message 

_where R U?_

_in disneyland with espresso coffee_

Sakura quickly typed out her response and slipped her phone back into her bag. 

* * *

They stayed to watch the fireworks and made the long journey back to their hotel. As their train sped towards Kuramae Station, Sakura stood sandwiched between several old ladies and felt her phone buzz for the third time. She ignored as they were packed in pretty tightly. Her feet ached and she was exhausted beyond belief, but she wasn’t ready for her night with Sasuke to be over yet. 

“Uh, Sasuke,” she said tentatively as they walked the four flights of stairs from the subway station to the street. 

“Yes?”

“I’m kind of hungry,” Sakura said, getting the words out before she could lose her nerve. “Would you like to get some dinner with me?”

She was expecting him to say no. It was getting late and Sasuke was likely just as tired as her. To her surprise, a small smile spread across his lips. 

“Why not?”

* * *

“I really had a great time today, Sasuke,” Sakura said as they sat eating their bowls of gyudon at the Sukiya counter. To Sakura’s surprise, he had ordered beer instead of coffee to drink. “You’re a good listener.”

“You’re a good talker,” he said, smirking wryly.

“Tell me something about yourself,” Sakura prodded. 

“What would you like to know?”

“Just… anything. The first thing that comes to mind.”

Sasuke took a long drink of his beer as he considered this. 

“It’s my birthday today,” he said finally. 

Sakura’s jaw dropped open. 

“You’re kidding, right?” she asked. 

“I am not,” Sasuke said. “It’s my twenty-first birthday.”

“Well, happy birthday,” Sakura said, as soon as she got over her shock. 

“Hm.” Sasuke smirked and raised his beer to his lips again. “Thank you.”

“But shouldn’t have spent it with me,” Sakura said. “You should be with family or your friends.”

“We just spent the whole day together,” Sasuke pointed out. “Doesn’t that make us friends?”

“I-I guess it does,” Sakura admitted. “But you grew up here, didn’t you?”

“When I left this city five years ago, I left everything behind,” Sasuke said. “I came back because I had to, not because I wanted to. It’s not as if it matters. I’m not a child anymore. I haven’t celebrated my birthday in years.”

“You know, my friend and I thought you might be a secret agent,” Sakura told him, deciding it was best to change the subject. “You looked so mysterious.”

“A secret agent, huh?” Sasuke looked amused. “Are you disappointed now that you know me better?”

“Well, I don’t really know all that much about you,” Sakura admitted. “So what is it that you do?”

“I travel,” Sasuke said simply.

Sakura heard her phone buzz in her bag again. She ignored it. 

“Doing what?” she asked.

“Traveling.”

“Yes, but why?”

“Why not?”

“Because I can.”

Sakura raised an eyebrow. She couldn’t tell if Sasuke was avoiding telling her the truth, teasing her, or if he really did live the life of a traveling vagrant. 

“So how can you afford this lifestyle?” she asked. 

“My family had some successful business ventures,” Sasuke said.

“Like what?” Sakura asked. 

“If I told you, that would ruin the illusion,” Sasuke said. “For all you know, I really do work for the government.”

Sakura could tell he was trying not to smile. 

* * *

“I want to be alone with you.”

Sakura hadn’t meant for those words to leave her mouth. As Sasuke stared at her, she wanted to melt into a puddle on the street to escape her embarrassment on the street. 

“Where do you want to go?” he asked and Sakura almost fell over out of shock.

“Oh, uh, I-I don’t know,” Sakura stammered because it wasn’t like she had thought this through. 

“There’s a place just down the street, next to the _7/11_ ,” Sasuke 

Sakura knew which place he meant. She had walked past it with Ino several times herself over the past few days. 

“Let’s go.”

* * *

The room was much nicer than Sakura expected. It looked just like a normal hotel room. A bed with clean white sheets, nightstands, an ensuite bathroom. They sat down on the bed together. For a few moments, they could only stare at each other.

Make a move, Sakura urged herself. She was the one who had suggested they do this, after all. 

However, before she could do anything, Sasuke leaned over and kissed. Sakura hadn’t kissed many people in her life. She had only dated a few boys through school and had stopped dating altogether in university as her studies took up the majority of her time. And yet she knew. This was an incredible kiss. Passionate, tender, unforgettable. She had never experienced anything like it before. 

Forty-five minutes later, as they were lying in bed together, their naked bodies pressed against each other, Sakura heard her phone buzz yet again. 

“Sorry, it’s my friend,” she said, giving an apologetic shrug to Sasuke. “I’ve been ignoring her all night.”

She crawled out of bed and retrieved her bag from the floor. She rifled through it and pulled it out. She flipped it open. There were seven unread messages from Ino. 

_omg wat?_

_r u serious?_

_forehead answer me_

_ur not answering…_

_r u ok???_

_SAKURA_

_im going to bed. u have to tell me everything 2moro_

“We should probably get going,” Sasuke said. “We only paid for an hour.”

They got dressed and walked back to their capsule hotel. 

“I have to leave tomorrow morning,” Sakura said as they waited for the elevator back in the lobby of their hotel. 

“Ah.” Perhaps it was merely Sakura’s imagination, but there seemed to be a slight tinge of sadness in Sasuke’s voice. 

The elevator doors opened and they stepped inside. Sasuke hit the button for the fifth floor. Sakura was staying on the seventh floor. 

“Will you be there at breakfast?” Sakura asked. “I want you to meet my friend.”

“I have to leave for a meeting at eight o’clock,” Sasuke told her. “But I’ll be there until then.”

The elevator doors opened and Sasuke stepped out. 

“Wait, Sasuke!”

Sasuke stopped walking and looked around at her. 

“Good night.”

“Good night, Sakura.”

The last thing Sakura saw before the elevator doors closed was Sasuke’s face, a soft smile on his face, his eyes full of warmth.

* * *

“Wake up, forehead. Come on, we have to go.”

Sakura shot straight up in bed. She grabbed her phone and flipped it open. 

8:03

Sakura pushed past Ino and frantically climbed out of bed. Not bothering to put her hotel-issued disposable white slippers on, she ran past the rows of capsules towards the elevator. 

“Sakura, where are you going?” she heard Ino’s voice call after her. “Sakura!”

Ignoring her, Sakura ran out to the foyer area where the elevator was

The American tourists were there again. There was a whole new set of people in drab grey business suits. 

But the corner where Sasuke usually sat was empty. 

Sakura stood there for a few moments, unable to move. She was vaguely aware that the room had gone completely silent. The hotel staff and the other guests were staring at her. 

The elevator door opened up and Ino came running out. 

“Sakura, what the hell is wrong with you?” she hissed, gasping for breath. “Are you out of your mind? Come on, you have to get dressed. Our train leaves in two hours.”

Sakura allowed Ino to push her back into the elevator. Even she had to admit that it was silly, but she really had felt a connection with Sasuke. They had only spent a day together, but she felt closer to him than any other person she had ever dated. As cliche as it sounded, it felt as though she had known him her entire life. 

And now she was never going to see him again. 

* * *

Hours later, as Sakura sat next to Ino on the train, watching the trees and fields whizz past, she couldn’t stop thinking about the mistakes she had made and the opportunities she had missed.

She should have set her alarm. She should have asked Sasuke for his email address the night before. She should have given her own email address to the hotel staff and asked them to pass it on to Sasuke. 

“So what happened?”

Ino’s words jolted her out of her thoughts 

“Huh?”

“What happened with Espresso Coffee?” Ino asked. “You must have come back pretty late. You were impossible to wake up this morning.”

“We went to Disneyland.”

“Just Disneyland?” Ino asked, raising an eyebrow. 

“We stayed to watch the fireworks,” Sakura said. “Then we had dinner and went back to the hotel.”

Ino raised her eyebrow even higher. She clearly didn’t believe a single word Sakura had said. Sakura ignored her and went back to staring out the window. 

You have to forget him, she told herself. Sasuke was a wanderer. A rich city boy with a trust fund and endless daddy issues, most likely. He had probably had a girl like her in every town he had been to. He had no interest in some naive medical student from Hinokuni prefecture.

She was never going to see him again and she had to forget him.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter is loosely based on my own trip to Tokyo last year(minus the romantic encounter with a handsome stranger), including the capsule hotel I stayed at. It was fun reliving happy memories for this fic, I hope it didn't get too self-indulgent.


End file.
